Shipping woes cause shortage

 BUSINESSES and people in Kabwum, Tewae-Siassi and Finschhafen, in Morobe, and parts of West New Britain have been severely hit since Lutheran Shipping ceased its operation.

Trade store operators have closed their shops because stocks have run out. Cargo was packed in Lae awaiting shipment.

People are resorting to motorised dinghies and dugout canoes, risking lives to travel eight hours through the often rough Vitiaz Strait to Lae.

Kabwum district Works supervisor James Zariong said that people’s prayers were answered when South Sea Lines offered to ferry goods from Lae using a tug boat and a barge.  

The vessel arrived in Wasu loaded with cargo for Finschhafen and Wasu last Saturday. 

“It took all of Saturday and Sunday to unload the goods and fuel while on Monday and Tuesday it loaded large quantities of coffee and cocoa,” Zariong said.

Zariong said since Luship stopped services, Kabwum-Wasu, Tewae-Siassi and Finschhafen districts ran out of basic store goods such as rice, canned food, cooking oil, soap, batteries and kerosene.

“While business houses in Kabwum use small planes to airlift cargo, they charge K10 for 1kg rice,” he said.

“Ordinary people and public servants cannot afford the plane cost and resort to dinghies but return with little household needs, school material and health supplies.” 

A proposal by Morobe Governor Kelly Naru and districts, including Huon Gulf, Nawaeb, Tewae-Siassi, Finschhafen and Kabwum, to form a new shipping service, Morobe Coast Shipping Services, is yet to get off the ground.

Most businesses, people and public servants in the area are desperate for a service.

“It is likely that schools and health facilities will be shut down sooner or later and public servants repatriated to cities until shipping services are back in place,” Zariong said.